Hershey Rose Garden

Betty and I met up with Betty's aunt and nephew to share the morning at Hershey.
Hershey Chocolate Factory

Red Oak Trees

Outside the butterfly garden

Betty ringing chimes

Entrance to the Rose Garden.

This was by far the most beautiful Rose Garden I have ever seen.

I have pictures of the Butterfly Garden on a different Post.

Luray Caverns, Virginia

The cave was well lighted and a guide told interesting stories as we walked through.

The "Great Stalacpipe Organ" makes music from the surrounding stalactite formations.


We listened to a short evening concert at the Luray Singing Tower, a Carillon of 47 bells.
(my camera was tilted, not the tower)

North Carolina Arboretum

The North Carolina Arboretum, outside Asheville is a lovely spot to visit.
There is a lot of construction going on here. When finished it will be fantastic, because, what is already here is absolutely beautiful.

There is a large Bonsai exhibit.


Called "Patchwork Quilt." When seen from above, that is exactly what it looks like.

After leaving the arboretum, we headed back to Tennessee. I drove the "Tail of the Dragon" a road of 318 curves in 11 miles. At the end was an overlook of Cheoah (Fugitive) Dam.

Natural Tunnel and Natural Bridge, Virginia

This 850 foot long Natural Tunnel is over a million years old. It is said that Daniel Boone was among the first explorers to see it.
We rode a chair lift down to the tunnel floor.

We were fortunate to be there when a train full of coal came rumbling through.


Instead of a train, Natural Bridge has a walkway for people and there is a highway running over the top.

Thomas Jefferson liked it so much that he bought it from King George III, in 1774, to preserve it as a mountain retreat.

A white square is painted around the initials GW that were put there by George Washington when he surveyed the land.

Campgrounds

Natural Tunnel State Park, Virginia

This was our first night camping. The wind blew, the rain came down. However, in the morning we visited Big Stone Gap, went to the laundromat and when we got back to camp our tent was dry.
Hungry Mother State Park, Virginia
My son loaned us the tent. As you can see, it is almost as big as my car!

Loft Mountain Campground

Skyline Drive, Virginia

We saw deer, rabbit, skunk and bear that day.

Linville Falls Campground

Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia

Mt Pisgah Campground

Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina

Ringing Rocks State Park, Buck County, PA

Ready to Ring

The idea for my summer vacation began when I read an article about a place in Pennsylvania where rocks ring like bells when struck with a hammer.


This is a phenomenon that is found in many places around the country, however, here is the largest collection of these rocks in one place.

You can see where these rocks have been struck many times.


Not every rock rang. I had to climb over quite a few
to find which ones would ring!

Sailboat Race in St. Pete Harbor, July 2009

One of the most exciting things I did on my summer vacation

was to ride in a sailboat race. My friend Lisa does this every

Wednesday evening, but this was my very first time.

Lisa worked in the front of the boat and

was kept very busy manning the sails.


There were more than a dozen people in the crew,
scrambling across the deck and pulling ropes
that made the sails go up and down.


I rode in the back, taking pictures of other boats in the race.


The boats were the prettiest when the spinnaker sails went up.


This boat named "Rocket" came in Second Place.

Our 35 ft. boat "Time Bandit" WON the race!

As we came back to our slip, the sun was setting in the west.

It was a wonderful experience.